Pages

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Welcome to the release day event for Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer-Seeley! This is the second book in the Pacific Northwest Mystery series. Slayed on the Slopes released March 31st by Kensington Publishing.

About the Book:After talking her way into a job writing for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .She’s at Mount Hood’s remote Silcox Hut, covering the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers—Oregon’s elite high-altitude rescue team–during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she’s still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg’s now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!Praise For Scene Of The Climb“A splendid overview of the greater Portland and Columbia River Gorge region, perfect for travel buffs. Her protagonist shows promise with her determined attitude and moxie.” –Library JournalIncludes Adventure Guides!

Guest PostWelcome to the top of the world. Okay, well maybe not quite. Welcome to the top of Oregon. In the second installment of the PNW Mystery Series Meg Reed is on the slopes of Oregon’s highest peak—Mt. Hood. She’s on assignment for Northwest Extreme to cover an intensive training weekend with the Ridge Rangers, a group of mountain guides who are dedicated to helping novice climbers trek to the summit.

Meg has high hopes for her weekend at high altitude. She plans to cozy up in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate. She’s thrilled to be spending the weekend at the historic Timberline Lodge, one of Oregon’s most famed hotels and a national monument.

The iconic lodge sits at 6,000 feet in elevation and is a testament to American craftsmanship and resolve. It was constructed in just fifteen months as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal. Unemployed workers from all over the country traveled to Mt. Hood to learn a new trade. They carted timber from the surrounding forest to carve out the lodge’s magnificent staircases and wood-beamed ceilings.

Today the lodge houses guests from all over the globe, making it one of Oregon’s most popular tourist attractions. In partnership with the National Forest Service, Timberline maintains the same high-quality craftsmanship as it did back in the 1930s. All the brightly colored Pendleton blankets in each quest room are woven by hand. The lodge is like stepping back in time. Down each cheery hallway you’ll discover Native American artwork, vintage ski photos, wood carvings, and stunning views of the summit and the entire Cascade Mountain Range. After a long day on the slopes, you can gather in front of the giant basalt fireplace with steaming mugs of hot cocoa to warm your hands, or head to the Blue Ox Bar or Ram’s Head for a pint of Ice Axe Ale. You can soak your toes in Timberline’s outdoor hot tub or take a refreshing swim in its year-round heated outdoor pool. There’s nothing more magical than swimming as snowflakes fall and skiers fly past you.

When Meg arrives at the lodge she learns that the Ridge Rangers are actually meeting at the Silcox Hut, which is located a thousand vertical feet above Timberline and accessible only by snowcat or the chairlift. Meg’s not a fan of heights, so she opts for a bumpy ride up to the remote hut in the snowcat. The SilcoxHut is equally charming and fashioned after the lodge. Maybe she’ll be able to have her relaxing weekend after all… or maybe she’s going to be in way over her head.

About the Author:Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, features the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme.Her work has appeared in a variety of regional and international publications including: The Columbian, The Vancouver Voice, Seattle Backpacker, Portland Family Magazine, and Climbing Magazine.Kate lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Sometimes I choose a Music Monday song for one reason: it makes me happy. "Do I Love You?" by the Ronettes is one of those songs.This girl group started singing together as teenagers. The singers consist of Veronica Bennett (a/k/a Ronnie Spector), her sister Estelle Bennet, and their cousin Nedra Talley. They grew up in Spanish Harlem and originally called their group The Darling Sisters. They started working with Spector as The Ronettes in 1963."Do I Love You?" was a Top 40 song for The Ronettes in 1964. It features everything that made them great: Ronnie Spector's amazing voice, terrific instrumentals, and the "wall of sound" that Phil Spector engineered.I heard this song for the first time in a long while on the radio a few days ago, and had forgotten how much I like it. I hope you do, too.

Scent of Triumph:
A Novel of Perfume And Passion

SYNOPSIS

Perfume is the essence of beauty, the heart of illusion, the soul of desire. It is my past, my present, my future. —from the journal of Danielle Bretancourt.

When French perfumer and aristocrat Danielle Bretancourt steps aboard a luxury ocean liner, leaving her son behind in Poland with his grandmother, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. The year is 1939, and the declaration of war on the European continent soon threatens her beloved family, scattered across many countries. Traveling through London and Paris into occupied Poland, Danielle searches desperately for the remains of her family, relying on the strength of Jonathan Newell-Grey, a British shipping heir and Royal Navy officer. Finally, in the wake of unspeakable tragedy, she is forced to gather the fragments of her impoverished family and flee to America. There she vows to begin life anew, in 1940s Los Angeles.
Amidst the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Danielle works her way up from meager jobs to perfumer and fashion designer. Still, personal happiness eludes her. Can her sheer force of will attract the elusive love she desires, or will it only come at the ultimate cost?

EXCERPT Someone
knocked sharply on the door. Gingerly crossing the room, Danielle opened the
door to Jonathan Newell-Grey, heir apparent to the British shipping line that
bore his family name. His tie hung from his collar and his sleeves were rolled
up, exposing muscular forearms taut from years of sailing. A rumpled wool
jacket hung over one shoulder.

Danielle
and Max had met Jon on their outbound voyage to New York several weeks ago. They had become
good friends, dining together regularly on the ship, and later in the city.
Well-traveled and physically fit, Jon loved to explore and dine on fine food,
and insisted on taking them to the best restaurants in New York, as well as little-known nooks that
served authentic French and German fare, assuring Max and Danielle of a salve
for their homesickness after their relocation. During their time in New York, Max worked tirelessly, tending to
details for their pending cross-Atlantic move, so they both appreciated having
a knowledgeable friend to call on for help.

With his
gregarious yet gracious manner, Jon had helped them find a good neighborhood
for their family, introduced them to his banker, and even explained some of the
odd American colloquialisms they couldn’t understand, as they all laughed
together over well-aged bottles of his favorite Bordeaux. They had all climbed the Empire State Building together, and one night they saw a
play on Broadway, and even danced to Benny Goodman’s big band into the late
evening hours. Jon also went to the World’s Fair with them, where their crystal
perfume bottles were featured in a potential business partner’s display.
Danielle and Max were both glad they’d met Jon, a man who embraced life with
spirit and joie de vivre, and they looked forward to their new life in America far from the threat of Hitler’s
forces.

But now, with news of the invasion, Max and
Danielle’s guarded optimism for their future had turned to distress over their
family’s safety.

“Bonjour,”
she said, glad to see Jon. “Any news yet?”

“None.” He
pushed a hand through his unruly chestnut hair, droplets of water spray
glistening on his tanned face. “The captain has called a meeting at fifteen
hundred hours for all passengers traveling on Polish and German passports.”
“But I still hold a French
passport.”
“You’ll need to attend,
Danielle.” His hoarse voice held the wind of the sea.
“Of course,
but—” As another sharp pitch jerked through the ship, Jon caught her by the
shoulders and kept her from falling. He moved intuitively with the ship’s
motion, a testament to his years at sea.
“Steady now, lass,” Jon said, a
small smile playing on his lips. He stared past her out the porthole, his dark
eyes riveted on the ocean’s whitecapped expanse. Blackened, heavily laden
clouds crossed the sun, casting angled shadows across his face.
Embarrassed, Danielle touched
the wall for support. She recalled the strange sense of foreboding she’d had
upon waking. She was blessed—or cursed—with an unusually keen prescience.
Frowning, she asked, “Can the ship withstand this storm?”
“Sure, she’s a fine, seaworthy
vessel, one of the finest in the world. This weather’s no match for her.” He
turned back to her, his jaw set. His usual jovial nature had turned solemn.
“Might even be rougher seas ahead, but we’ll make England by morning.”
Danielle nodded, but still, she knew. Anxiety coursed through her;
something seemed terribly wrong. Her intuition came in quiet flashes of pure
knowledge. She couldn’t force it, couldn’t direct it, and knew better than to
discuss it with anyone, especially her husband. She was only twenty-six; Max
was older, wiser, and told her that her insights were rubbish. Max wasn’t
really insulting her; he had studied science at the university in Germany, and he simply didn’t believe
anything that couldn’t be scientifically proven.
Jon touched her arm in a small,
sympathetic movement. “Anything I can do to help?”

REVIEW

I love historical fiction and find the 1940's a fascinating era, so I knew I would enjoy this read. The period details were so interesting, and I enjoyed learning more about the perfume business through the details of this novel.Danielle is a strong woman who shows a lot of bravery. She works hard, achieves a lot, and longs to be with the man she loves. Their love story was the strongest part of the novel for me.The descriptions of life in Europe during World War II and later in Los Angeles were all very interesting. The depiction of glamorous 1940's Hollywood was my favorite setting of the book.This is an old fashioned book, in a good sense, and reminded me a bit of Barbara Taylor Bradford's novels. The book is a fast paced read, and would make a good movie. I think fans of sweeping books with a historical 1940's setting will enjoy Scent of Triumph.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JAN MORAN is the author of Fabulous Fragrances I and II,
which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list,
and other contemporary novels,
including Flawless, Beauty Mark, and Runway.
A fragrance and beauty industry expert,
she has been featured on CNN, Instyle, and O Magazine,
and has spoken before prestigious organizations,
including The American Society of Perfumers.
She earned her MBA from Harvard Business School
and attended the University of California at Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program.
Visit her website. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
Subscribe to her newsletter

Visit each bloggeron the tour:tweeting about the giveaway everyday
of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time!
[just follow the directions on the entry-form]
Global giveaway open internationally:
1 winner will receive 1 print copy of Scent of Triumph.

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS, EXCERPTS,
GUEST-POST AND INTERVIEW

I received this book from France Book Tours and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

On a hot day in 1737 in Rotterdam, Anna König reluctantly sets foot on the Charming Nancy,
a merchant ship that will carry her and her fellow Amish believers
across the Atlantic to start a new life. As the only one in her
community who can speak English, she feels compelled to go. But Anna is
determined to complete this journey and return home--assuming she
survives. She's heard horrific tales of ocean crossings and worse ones
of what lay ahead in the New World. But fearfulness is something Anna
has never known.

Ship's carpenter Bairn resents the somber people--dubbed Peculiars by the deckhands--who fill the lower deck of the Charming Nancy.
All Bairn wants to do is to put his lonely past behind him, but that
irksome and lovely lass Anna and her people keep intruding on him.

Delays,
storms, illness, and diminishing provisions test the mettle and
patience of everyone on board. When Anna is caught in a life-threatening
situation, Bairn makes a discovery that shakes his entire foundation.
But has the revelation come too late?

Bestselling author Suzanne
Woods Fisher invites you back to the beginning of Amish life in America
with this fascinating glimpse into the first ocean crossing--and the
lives of two intrepid people who braved it.My Review

I enjoy historical fiction, but am new to Amish fiction. Anna's Crossing was a very enjoyable introduction to this genre.This historical novel tells the story of some of the first Amish people to come to America. The immigrant aspect of this novel is what interested me in reading it, and I found the story very compelling, both shipboard and in America. The journey was a very difficult one, and Suzanne Woods Fisher's vivid depictions brings this to life for readers.The title character, Anna, is a woman of faith and strength. I found her very admirable and enjoyed reading her story. I liked Bairn, and enjoyed seeing his character unfold as the book progressed. I think this book will appeal to fans of historical fiction as well as readers of Amish novels. As well as drama, romance, and a fascinating historical setting, readers will find some surprising twists in this inspiring book. I would love to read a sequel and spend more time with these characters.About the AuthorSuzanne Woods Fisher
is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series, the
Stoney Ridge Seasons series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well
as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner for The Search, a Carol Award finalist for The Choice, and a Christy Award finalist for The Waiting. She is also a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, March 27, 2015

I grew up in the Deep South, so of course I grew up with Southern food. When I was a little girl, we traveled back and forth between Savannah and Atlanta (and we lived in both these cities at different points). A highlight of all trips up and down Georgia was stopping at little Southern diners. There was one I recall near Milledgeville called Tick Tock.I have been vegetarian for a long time (27 years!), but long before I went vegetarian, I loved a veggie plate. Thankfully, one of the things that Southern diners specialize in is veggie plates. If you are vegetarian, you have to make sure you go to diners that do not season vegetables with meat, or they have a "V" for vegetarian on the menu for veggies that are cooked vegetarian style. Thankfully, there are several great Southern diners in my city that serve vegetarian vegetables. Hooray!If you go to a Southern diner, the menu may be printed, or it may be a simple xerox page that lists the veggies of the day. It may be posted on the wall (also easy for diner owners to change daily). There may be a little serving line, like a mini-cafeteria, where you pick the vegetables you want.A veggie plate is typically three or four veggies. My meal above has fried eggplant, corn, and applesauce. You will always find a wide variety of vegetables, like: fried okra, fried green tomatoes, squash souffle, tossed salad, collard greens, blackeyed peas, fruit salad, potato cakes, corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, stewed apples, cheese grits, tomato pie, sweet potato souffle, and more. Most of the diners I go to serve cornbread on the side. Of course, the beverage of choice is sweet tea (iced tea that is sweetened with sugar immediately after brewing, so it is perfectly sweet). I rarely get desserts at a diner because I am too full from vegetables! The most common dessert at Southern diners is fruit cobbler (peach, cherry, blackberry, etc.). The restaurants vary, but the atmosphere tends to be casual and cozy, often with old photos or vintage items on the wall. (Many of these places have been in business for years and years.) Service is casual and friendly.

Do you like Southern cooking? Any favorite Southern diner stories or meals to share? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Does anyone else here remember making jewelry out of telephone wire? The finished bracelets, rings, or "choker" length necklaces looked similar to the picture above. We started with telephone wire, like what you see below. I remember you took one strand of wire as the base, and then picked another multi-colored wire strand. You then would neatly wrap the multi-color wire around the base. We closed the bracelets with a simple wire "hook" loop. I would actually love to find some colorful telephone wire to try this again. I love beading, especially with vintage trinkets, and this seems like a natural extension of that. Anyone have an idea where to find inexpensive telephone wire like this? Please let me know in the comments, below. I would also love to hear from you if you remember making telephone wire jewelry!

Set in the Bible Belt of Deep East Texas, Visiting the Sins is a darkly
funny story about mothers and daughters, naked ambition, elusive redemption, and
all the torment it's possible to inflict in the name of family.Down
through the decades, the lofty social aspirations of the feisty but perennially
dissatisfied Wheeler women -- Pokey, the love-starved, pistol-packing matriarch;
Rebanelle, the frosty former beauty queen turned church organist; and Curtis
Jean, the backsliding gospel singer -- are exceeded only by their unfortunate
taste in men and a seemingly boundless capacity for holding grudges. A legacy of
feuding and scandal lurches from one generation to the next with tragic
consequences that threaten to destroy everything the Wheeler women have
sacrificed their souls to build.

Guest Post:

Writing a Southern Novel

by Melanie Denman

My mother named me (aspirationally) after the kind
and gentle “Melanie” in Gone With the Wind, so maybe it was inevitable
that I would grow up to write a Southern story. Unfortunately, there were no
hoop skirts or mansions in my family tree. I come from a long line of traveling
preachers, fiddle-players, gamblers, and bootleggers. Scoundrels, most of them,
so my tongue trips up a little bit when I say that my novel is “Southern
Literature.” I just tell stories.

But how do you go about
telling a bonafide Southern story, as opposed to a regular story that just
happens to take place in the South? There are volumes written on this by
academics, but let me offer a simple answer. A true Southern story is something
that could only have happened in the South. Of course the South is a large and
diverse region, but the plot and the characters spring, organically, from the
place. They are born of its violent history, its extreme weather, its tragic
wounds.

Take Ignatius J. Reilly, the
protagonist in A Confederacy of Dunces. He simply could not have existed
in Omaha or Boston. He was a product of New Orleans, its rituals, its quirky
character. On the other hand, the stolid Olive in Olive Kitteridge could
have lived in New Orleans or Atlanta, but neither her character nor her
conflicts sprang from the unique culture of the South. Her story might have
happened in the South, but it would not have been a Southern story.

No environment outside of
East Texas could have ever produced Pokey, the pistol-packing matriarch in my
novel, Visiting the Sins. She was born to a feisty, contentious clan with
a long history of rebelling against authority. Their independent spirit and
distrust of the government led them to the hostile, isolated forests where they
settled. Their hellfire-and-brimstone Baptist faith bound them together. This
unique culture gave rise to the family feuds that launched Pokey on her path of
ambition and scandal. The story of Pokey’s family is the story of that place.
Like most Southern stories, it is a mass of contradictions. It weaves strands of
tragedy with humor, religion with racism, violence with gentility.

I’ve come to believe that
Southern stories aren’t created, exactly. They are all there already, buried in
the rubble and the mud. The storyteller just finds out where they’re hiding, and
she digs them up and sets them free.

My Review:

I grew up in the South and I love books, so naturally I love Southern fiction. Melanie Denman's Visiting the Sins is a delightfully Southern novel.This multi-generational story is told from the perspective of different women in the family. You will meet family matriarch, Pokey, who has a salty tongue and a fierce way of living life. You will also meet her daughter, Rebanelle, a former beauty queen, and Rebanelle's daughter, Curtis Jean. The lives of these women intertwine through Visiting the Sins.

There is some Southern Gothic
drama in this novel, but there is plenty of humor, too. Some of the
humor comes from Pokey. Her language and storytelling was funny but crude, and as a result, this book would be best suited for mature audiences.

The storytelling in this book is lively and the characterization is a treat. Each character has her own voice, and the voices are distinct and interesting. The varied voices add a lot to the storytelling, giving the book a comfortable feel, like women sitting around a kitchen table drinking sweet tea and sharing their stories.

Author's Bio:Melanie Denman is a
native of Nacogdoches, Texas and a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State
University. An eighth-generation Texan, and a former banker and cattle rancher,
she currently lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she is
working on a second novel.

I'm excited to share the cover reveal of Alice's Portrait by Juliette Harper, the third book in the Lockwood Legacy series. This is an adult contemporary mystery that is also very focused on family, small town and ranch life as well as some clean romance.

About the Book:A year after Kate, Jenny, and Mandy Lockwood inherit The Rocking L, the sisters try to concentrate on their collective and individual futures. In the previous book in The Lockwood Legacy series, Baxter’s Draw, the women made startling discoveries about their father’s secrets, but are mistaken in their belief that everything has now come to light. In Alice’s Portrait, the ghosts of Langston Lockwood’s past once again confront his daughters, forcing them to re-evaluate their understanding of their father and of what it means to be a Lockwood.Excerpt:Instead of fighting back, Langston took off his hat and ran a tired hand through his graying hair. “Don’t talk about Alice,” he said. “You don’t know enough to talk about her. As for your Mama, there won’t be any peace for me over what I did to her, but she’s at peace, Jenny. I can at least tell you that.”“That’s supposed to make me feel better, Daddy? Really? I know Mama is at peace because she was a kind, gentle woman. As for you, I hope you walk the earth for eternity and enjoy your own tailor-made brand of hell.”“I reckon I probably will,” he said, the words filled with tired regret. “I always thought if there was an afterlife I’d find my Alice, but she isn’t here. I probably deserve that, but it’s bitter gall, little girl. It’s bitter gall all the same.”“I’ll ask you again. What do you want, Daddy?” Jenny said, her voice ice cold.“What I want is for you to make your peace with it, Jenny,” he said. “You got my temper and my gifts. Those things come from me and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it. You’ve got real talent. Only thing I could draw was my Alice, but you see the world with clear eyes. My art came from anger and pain, but yours comes from your soul. Let that out, daughter. That’s what I want.”“You don’t know a damned thing about my soul,” she snapped.“The hell I don’t,” he said mildly. “I was like you once, before I let life drive me over the edge. Fiery, passionate, idealistic. Being like me won’t hurt you, Jenny. You’re too strong. Katie, she’s tough and capable; she’s a thinker and her heart is as big as Texas when she opens it. But you, daughter? You’d spit the devil in the eye and dare him to cart you to hell. God knows you spit me in the eye.”“You drove me away from my home! I was 17. I was alone and scared but I had to get the hell away from you. Do you have any idea what that was like for me, Daddy?”“You should thank God I drove you away, girl,” Langston said. “Everything you went through out there is why you can be here now. Lead your life, Jenny. You and that Baxter boy, you got a future. There’s no coincidence him being a Baxter, you just don’t realize it yet.”“Damn you,” she said. “Josh is right. You are haunting us. Dead or not, tend to your own business.”“The dead always haunt the living, girl,” he said, standing up. “You got a hell of a lot more ghosts to worry about than me. Deal with them.”As he started for the door, Jenny said to his back, “Daddy, did you ever love me?”Langston turned, his hat in his hand. “I loved all my girls,” he said. “Problem was, I hated myself too much to show it. Look under the bridge, Jenny. You’ll find what you need to know there.”

Don’t miss out on the first book, Langston’s Daughters, only .99 cents in ebook!

Juliette Harper is the pen name used by the writing team of Patricia Pauletti and Rana K. Williamson. Like the characters of their debut series, The Lockwood Legacy, Juliette is a merging of their creative energies.
Pauletti, an Easterner of Italian descent, is an accomplished musician with an eye for art and design. Williamson, a Texan from a long line of hardheaded Scots, knows the world of the Lockwoods like the back of her hand.“We decided to write under a pen name because neither one of us by ourselves could have created Kate, Jenny, Mandy, and their world,” says Pauletti. “Juliette is a little bit of us both. We want to be her when we grow up.”

“Patti teases me that I just don’t want to own up to writing a book with romance in it,” Williamson adds, “but that’s not true. I like the Lockwood women and the way they tackle everything life throws at them. And before we’re done, they’ll be ducking a lot. I imagine coming into the office every day and saying, ‘Okay Juliette, what’s going to happen now?’ She tells us, and we get it down on paper.”

From
March 20th to April 3rd, over 70 authors come together to
give away hundreds of books. The YA Spring Fling is an opportunity for readers
to find new books, new authors and take part in something very special. Here is
a sneak peek of some of the books involved in the giveaway.

Sixteen
year old Kaley Thorne is invisible. Or she may as well be anyway. All her
emotions, thoughts, and dramas go into her secret songbook. Music is her
passion, her escape, and her hidden talent. Her songbook is her diary, singing
everything she is too shy to speak.

"Effie
has a million reasons why her senior year hasn’t gone as planned — from the
hideous bridesmaid dress at her older sister’s wedding, to a disastrous first
kiss, to a complete lack of romantic attention from her boy-that-is-a-friend,
Robbie.

In this
complete collection of all six Effie Stories, Effie Green tries to turn her
oh-so-average high school existence into the perfect teen movie moment. "

"Thanks
to a runaway best-seller, the world thinks that Greg Hanlon fell in love with
the beautiful Angeline while sailing the open seas, and lost her before they
could marry on the beaches of South Africa.

Though
the book started out as a bet between Greg and his best-friend Darrin, the
project has taken off like neither of them expected. As Greg's mother sees the
money roll in, Greg starts to see nothing but Angeline - his fictional, dead
fiancé.

In this
absurdist short-story, one young adult must come to terms with fame -- or
infamy."

When Jada
wakes up in a hospital, the last thing she thinks is that her life has
completely changed forever. But when the very real civil war forces her to flee
from every open space, she must use the firearm skills her father taught her to
reunite with him and protect herself.

When
attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around
Saturn, during their USA tour, the guys have to go into hiding ASAP with a
secret service agent's family, which includes two teenage daughters and a
five-year-old fangirl.

Sixteen-year-old
Ridge McCoy’s summer plans take a turn in an unexpected direction when he meets
Micah Youngblood, the guy who runs the carousel at the local mall and has a
reputation for devouring straight boys’ heterosexuality for breakfast, alongside
his chocolate chip pancakes.

The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath and The Fine
Art of Keeping Quiet by Charity Tahmaseb

No one
expects the girl who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech
team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to coach her in secret,
she can't say no. But secrets have a price, and this one might cost Jolia
everything . . .

When
MacKenna pursues an ROTC scholarship behind her father’s back, she
inadvertently uncovers the secret behind her mother’s death in the first Gulf
War. And secrets, like war, have their own casualties.

Right-Hearted: Finding What...Right-Hearted: Finding What's Right With
a Wrong-Sided Heart by Daniel Wallock

"Standing
before the sky I had little idea my next two weeks would be overwhelmed with
wild love, lust, confusion, tears and a beautiful girl. She and I would share
the stories of our hearts...our right-sided hearts.

Right-Hearted:
Finding What's Right With A Wrong Sided Heart is the story of two lustful
teenagers who together confront their life-threatening heart conditions and
learn to embrace their broken hearts."

Plain and
bookish Laura Wood is sure life at her new school won't be any different. Her
older sister will slather on the makeup and charm and instantly become Miss
Popularity while Laura will end up Loser Girl. Again. But this time she might
pull off a new role: Shy New Girl. Will a chance encounter in the hallway ruin
everything?

Fifteen-year-old
Grace Sather can't understand why her mother would want her great-grandmother
to move in with them. Great-Gran hates Mom. But before Mom can talk Gran into
it, Gran has a bad fall and ends up in the hospital. Now a long buried-secret
is about to reveal itself.

Head over
to my website Sarahdaltonbooks.com and find the page for the YA Spring Fling
(handy hint, it’s HERE). Once
you’re there you can browse through the books on offer, or check out more
information about the participating
authors.

You should
see plenty of links prompting you to enter the giveaway. Simply fill out the
Google document telling us which books you’d like to win, the format you
prefer, and whether you would also like to win paperbacks and swag. It’s that
simple. Pick the books you want and sign off.

How will I know I’ve won?

There are
so many books on offer that I’d be surprised if you didn’t win something! So
you will be hearing from us.

After
April 3rd, I will collate all the entries and pass them on to the
participating authors. They will then choose the winners at random and Email
the winners to let them know the good news.

Will my Email or personal details be used outside the
giveaway?

Absolutely
not. We’re all against spam and promise not to use your Email for anything
other than contacting you as a winner. If you joined up to the YA Spring Fling
mailing list you will receive one Email telling you the giveaway is open, and
another warning you it is about to close. That’s it!

Is the giveaway open internationally?

Yes! But
there are some paperbacks on offer that are region specific. Not all of our
authors are sending paperbacks and swag internationally, purely because it
costs us so much money and we ain’t made of it. ;)

We will
ask for your country of residence in the Google document. That’s so we can work
out the winners for region specific paperbacks more easily. Everything else is
open internationally.

I have a question, who can I contact?

Me! Send
me a message on Facebook.
My Email might be clogged by answering author queries, so Facebook might be the
easiest method.

Who can I tell about the giveaway? And what can I do
to help spread the word?

You can
tell everyone and anyone who might like YA books. If you’d like to spread the
word it would be awesome if you could follow or like some of the authors and
share their posts about the giveaway. You can find a full list of the
participating authors and their social media links here.

About Me

Trish is a long-time online seller who loves all things vintage, but especially vintage children's books and ephemera. In other lives, worked as a bookstore manager and preschool teacher. Always pursuing vintage treasures, great reads, interesting words, and happiness.